Rob Ninkovich rises with no-names

Jeff Tarpinian? Sterling Moore? Tracy White? Antwaun Molden? Phillip Adams? Who are these guys? They were all unlikely contributors to a Patriots' defense that, despite being littered with obscure names, turned in arguably its most impressive performance of the season in a pivotal, 37-16 win over the Jets Sunday.

They were all unlikely contributors to a Patriots' defense that, despite being littered with obscure names, turned in arguably its most impressive performance of the season in a pivotal, 37-16 win over the Jets Sunday.

“I think it's just every week working hard, everyone playing together and knowing your role, and whatever it is you're asked to do on game day, you do it to the best of your ability,” linebacker Rob Ninkovich said of the slew of backups successfully stepping to the forefront, some due to injury and others because of the game plan.

“I think that guys having a chance to expand their roles on game day, it's exciting for them to go into the game and help the team out. I think anyone who is asked to do that, they take that role and try to do the best they can with it.”

Ninkovich knows of what he speaks.

He arrived here two years ago with an NFL résumé that could have fit on the top half of a matchbook.

Ninkovich was drafted in the fifth round by the Saints in 2006 after a modest career at Purdue that saw him earn a pair of varsity letters and be named second-team All-Big Ten as a senior. He appeared in eight games over the next three years while bouncing between New Orleans and Miami.

In an effort to make himself more versatile — and thus valuable — Ninkovich even took up long snapping. It didn't help, and the Saints cut him early in training camp in 2009.

The Patriots signed Ninkovich three days later. He's still unsure what they saw in him, but he liked what he saw in New England.

“Maybe they thought I was just going to go out there and give them everything I had,” the well-grounded Ninkovich said. “Coming in here, I knew this was an opportunity for me to come to an organization where they would let a guy come in and do anything he can do well. They're going to put him in good places to make plays.

“So I knew this was a good chance for me to maybe make an impact on special teams my first year, which I was able to do. So that was a good feeling for me.”

Ninkovich appeared in 15 games that season. He finished with 11 tackles as a core special-teams member while making 10 tackles and a sack in limited reps on defense.

The Illinois native continued his surprising ascent last season, helping the Patriots make their second straight playoff appearance.

Sixty-nine players got into at least one game for the Patriots. Ninkovich was one of 19 to play in all 16, while making 10 starts.

He was both reliable and productive, finishing 10th in tackles (58) and third in sacks (four) while adding two interceptions, both coming in a 41-14 win over the Dolphins in Week 4.

The season as a whole was his smoothest in an NFL journey that had had more than its share of potholes, none of which derailed him.

“You just try to keep working and don't let anything get you down,” Ninkovich said. “There's been ups and downs throughout my career where things haven't gone my way, but you can't let that affect how you play because obviously there's always things that are going to set you back. You just need to fight through it and keep working.”

Injuries to Brandon Spikes, Dane Fletcher and Jerod Mayo have disrupted the continuity of the Patriots' linebacking crew this fall, but Ninkovich has helped mitigate that. He has started all nine games and generally been solid and occasionally spectacular, as was the case in Sunday's win over the Jets.

In addition to making five tackles, Ninkovich recorded his third and fourth career interceptions, the latter of which he returned 12 yards for a touchdown that accounted for the final, 21-point margin of victory.

“We've asked him to a lot of things, and he's done a good job,” coach Bill Belichick said. “He's been dependable, he's been versatile, he's a smart guy, works hard, he's a good athlete. He can do a number of different things — he can rush the passer, he can play with strength in the running game, he's a good pass defender, plays in the kicking game, long snapper. That's a pretty good résumé.”

The Patriots' defense is populated by no-names these days, but when it comes to Ninkovich, he just continues to make a name for himself.

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